Uncontrollable Destiny
by SamTheMoose
Summary: Every story has to have a beginning right? Well, your friendly neighborhood Medic had a less than desirable surprise when he suddenly lost his job after killing one of his patients. Having no money, he accepts the offer of a letter that he received mysteriously, going to the states from which he will never return. This is the story of the mercenaries.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**_*disclaimer* Before people go on and complain about this story, I want to say a few things. Yes, I have read the comics on Valve's website and I know about the story of Redmont and Blutarch Mann. Yes, I only have aspects of them in here and not the full story. This is what this is, a different story since I wasn't completely happy with Valve's edition, granted that the story does belong to them. Also, this is based more on what is seen in the "Meet the…" series than the actual game. Thank you and please enjoy._**

I never had a choice as to if I wanted to join this group or not. Well, technically speaking I did, but when I saw that letter appear in the mailbox of my dusty, old apartment I was about to be evicted from, I knew I had to take this opportunity or otherwise try my luck on the streets. I graduated from a fine university, though I would never agree to tell as to where that was, and managed to procure a job at a hospital in the town where I grew up. They never did agree with my methods or procedures, and the president was always was looking for an excuse to get me fired. I never expected that she would have gone so far as to have my license revoked. Some people just don't understand how true geniuses operate.

During my last day at that hospital, they kept yelling and yelling and yelling at me, just on and on about how I used to not do such things to people and what could have caused me to do this. They surprisingly didn't phone the police or have them brought into this situation for fear that there would be a lawsuit against the hospital. Instead they ruined my fun by forcing me to put the patient's skeleton back into the skin suit that lay separate. I don't remember exactly what they said or did to get me to reverse my experiment, but all I knew was that I had to or I would face private imprisonment. Now there is one place where I would rot away from my own inability to practice any of my experiments. But anyways, he had died soon after waking up and they had to explain to his family that his illness was worse than they thought and he died in the night. For shame, they would never know of my wonderful scientific breakthrough. At least I'm pretty sure no one has ever been able to extract a full human skeleton without leaving any scarring.

Needless to say, they threw me out of the hospital that day, making sure I took all of my office materials with me. I had only worked there for a little over five years, and now I was out of work and without a lab to occupy my simplest curiosities. The president had taken away all of my credentials with my job, and so now I wouldn't even be able to find new employment in the field of my profession. She had even made sure that no one in the hospital or in the area would see or hear from me again by getting a restraining order because I was "too dangerous". Sheesh, some people are such pansies.

Let's get back to the letter I received. It was a cloudy day in November with a promise of rain to come to the city. I was busy packing my things into those plain, old cardboard boxes one usually uses for such purposes as moving. I was an angry man at the time, muttering under my breath about those damn people that owned the apartment complex in my native language. Since I no longer had an income from any job, I couldn't even pay for this place that was already so dirty. I had been busy at my job, so I never had time to really clean it or take care of it that much. I had bought the damn one-roomed place, with the bugs and dirt and all already there, because it was cheap and I knew I would hardly ever be home. Those stingy dummkopfs downstairs discovered about my situation and took the first chance to bill me for the month and file a notice for eviction against me.

From outside the door, as I placed the last of my medical textbooks into a box by the single window of the single room, I heard heavy footsteps come down the hall and stop by the door. I expected a knock as I rammed another book into the overcrowded container, but instead I heard the small sound of metal clacking on metal and the footsteps going away. Oh great, the mail was here. It was probably a note with more insults from the president or another notice for my on-coming eviction. Grudgingly, I finished what I was doing and went over to pick up the single envelope lying on the grungy carpet beside the door.

Automatically, I noticed there was something off about this clean, white piece of mail. It wasn't dirty, so it wasn't from the apartment owners, and it had no return address, so it wasn't from the hospital either or any normal place really. The only thing that dirtied its surface was a few flower stamps and my apartment's address. Sitting down at my cleared desk, I fished a scalpel from my pocket and ripped the top of the letter open in one, clean motion. It was talents such as these that led me to be able to become a doctor in the first place. Adjusting my glasses, I put away the scalpel and removed the actual letter from inside the envelope. There was a seal stamped at the top of it; it was a black circle with four golden fan-shaped images inside of it. I had never seen anything of the sort in my life and was very confused and yet intrigued by it. Could this be a job offer from some hospital outside of Stuttgart, Germany?

I couldn't have been more right or wrong at the same time with that question. I unfolded the letter and began to read.

**To Mr. Heilburger:**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have become one of our candidates for our special program. Since we are a very secretive society, we are afraid we cannot tell you who we are or where you will be going if you accept this offer. If you manage to proceed past being a candidate, you shall receive equipment every week for you to be able to explore your curiosities and a salary every month for you to save or use at your own pleasure. Not much more can be said except that this ticket enclosed will take you from your local airport to the state of Texas were an assigned driver will be waiting for you with a sign. He shall then take you to our facility after thoroughly checking your passport and ID. Be sure to have those with you. Your car with your materials shall be shipped from where you park it at the airport to the U.S. via boat.**

**Wishing you best of luck; Anonymous**

I set the letter back down, utterly perplexed by what I had just read, but also completely curious; what would such a secretive company in the states be wanting with an ex-doctor from Germany, like me? Clearing my throat, I stood and walked over to the shabby window to look out over the streets of where I had grown up. Needless to say you know what my eventual decision was, but I have to say that I did take a while to make up my mind whether to trust an unnamed organization with my future and, ultimately, my life. I figured that since I now had no medical license and no way of making any money before I got kicked out of the apartment, I might as well as take this mysterious offer from an unnamed organization that was clearly out somewhere in the United States.  
>Sighing, I stepped away from the window that was only letting in some of the light of the now setting sun and turned on the overhead kitchen fixture to finish up my packing. I would need my sleep tonight in order to go through with this offer in the morning. I didn't want time to make me change my mind because this path would either lead to my fatality or a life filled with ways for me to satisfy my unending curiosity with the human body, or both.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

***disclaimer* Before people go on and complain about this story, I want to say a few things. Yes, I have read the comics on Valve's website and I know about the story of Redmont and Blutarch Mann. Yes, I only have aspects of them in here and not the full story. This is what this is, a different story since I wasn't completely happy with Valve's edition, granted that the story does belong to them. Also, this is based more on what is seen in the "Meet the…" series than the actual game. By the way I am choosing to believe that Medic is from Stuttgart rather than Rottenburg. Thank you and please enjoy.**

I woke up early in the morning feeling unrested and full of anticipation of what I was going to have to go through on that day. It took me about a half hour to get myself dressed into my nice, white shirt, black business jacket, dark slacks, shiny coal shoes, and blood-red tie. I decided that I should dress nice for the business travel since I knew that the plane ride from here at eight o'clock to Texas would take about eleven hours and I had no idea if I was to have the meeting with my employer soon after the plane landed. Another thirty minutes passed with me eating a small breakfast and bringing all the boxes with all my things down to my white van in the undersized parking lot behind the complex.

Giving my disgusting, dirty apartment one last check to make sure I had everything, I sighed with contentment. The truth was that I never really did like this apartment, this city. I was happy to leave, gleeful to be trying something new. My curiosity was sparked and I knew that there was no fear of me changing my mind. I was ready to go. I left the keys and a check with my last payment on the counter of the secretary's desk in the lobby since no one was seemingly awake yet, and I went back outside to my van that I had pulled up earlier that morning. Without looking behind me, I left my former home, glad to never have to think about this past life again.

Since the city of Stuttgart was the capitol of this region, it had its own decently sized airport. I hadn't been able to check up on the tickets given to me since during that time we didn't have such convenient technology as laptops or Wi-Fi. I had read them though, while they were blank except for a small description. It didn't mean much to me except that they could be used at any airport that I desired and I wouldn't have to pay a Reichsmark as long as I used them to get to the Houston airport.

If you have ever been on a flight, then you know what I had to experience that day. Though the security was much less then, I still had to check in my car (which used one ticket to mark it for shipping) and my bags. Upon showing them the 'special' ticket, the lady behind the counter nodded and pressed some hidden button that bid a security officer to guide me out to a plane that was about to take off. I was placed into an empty first class cabin, and had a typical flight besides the fact that the only noise there was, was the roar of the jet engine. I spent my time napping and worrying that everything in my van would make it to the states.

Stepping onto the glaringly white tiles of the Houston airport, I glanced up at a clock on the wall and registered that it was around one o'clock in the afternoon. I had completely forgotten about different time zones. I left in the morning and was on a plane for hours only to land sometime in the early afternoon here. However, I was still very exhausted and hungry, the side effects of jet lag. There was no one here waiting for me as expected, I would have to get my things from the baggage claim and move to the reception area before there would be anyone waiting with a sign.

Needless to say, I was shocked to find an older man in a sharp suit and tie already waiting for me with a large sign labeled "Heilburger" hanging from his neck. I swallowed and adjusted my glasses before walking forward to greet him, though I received a stiff nod before he turned around and headed for the exit, expecting me to follow. I did, naturally, and was led to an exclusive, black Chevy parked just outside the doors. I wasn't used to this sort of treatment, and I treated everything with caution, as if an assassin were going to jump me from the trunk.

This man remained just as silent as he took my bags from me and set them down gently into the back of the car before going around to the back door of the car to open it, waiting for me to climb in. I did as he soundlessly suggested and sat in the middle back seat, drawing the belt across my lap. The interior was practically all a dark black except for the little lights on the dashboard up front and the silver metal components on the door handles and seats. This type of shiny, dark cleanliness was uncomfortable for me and so I sat back gritting my teeth for the oncoming unpleasant ride.

The driver pulled out of the airport and took a couple of turns, speeding up on a larger road that must have been the freeway. The ride was smooth and he took no fast turns, shocking in such a time and such a place. Eventually, I couldn't stand all this silence and secrecy anymore and I cleared my throat. "Excuse me, do you mind telling me vhere ve are going?" Even though I had taken English courses all my life and spoke the language fluently, I was only met with more silence, though I did notice his olive green eyes glance into the rearview mirror, blank as ever. I tried again. "If not vhere ve are headed, zen can I ask how long ze drive vill be?"

The man looked at me again and his lip curled before he focused back on the road, muttering in a brief southern drawl, "An hour and a half." I had never before met such a disagreeable and quiet fellow all throughout my life in the darker side of Stuttgart, or even through medical school. I sighed and sat back in my seat, crossing my arms and glaring out the tinted windows at the passing caci, tumbleweeds, and sand. There was not much of this back at home, and I was guessing that this was what I had to look forward too, but still it was rather uninteresting given the situation I was now in. After about ten minutes more of dead silence, I began to doze off.

In my state of sleep, it seemed like I had been in that car for way longer than the unpleasant driver had claimed I would be, though to this day I still don't know if he was anticipating my falling asleep or not. The slight jolt of the Chevy as it came to a stop was enough to rouse me. The sun seemed to be a bit lower in the sky than before, but that detail isn't too important, at least not anymore. I blinked a few times in confusion and wiped some drool absentmindedly from my chin with one of my large hands while I leaned towards the window. We were stopped outside of some tall chain-link fence that extended, without end, towards both horizons. The road underneath of us was gravel now and one of the front windows was open. The driver was chatting frantically with what looked like an overly excited guard who had clearly not seen enough action in his life.

With a look of regret on his face, the guard turned back around and made a circular motion in the air with one of his gloved fingers and the gate began to open, slowly but surely. My driver gave him another one of his stiff nods and pulled through the archway which sported that same black and gold symbol that was on the letter I received. Feeling surprisingly confident and unshaken by my sudden arrival at my destination, I got out of the car and stretched pleasantly once it had stopped outside of a massive concrete building that had no markings and no windows besides that of the all-too-familiar icon.

I looked up at it with a grin spreading across my face while my driver moved from the back door he had just opened to the trunk to fetch my baggage. Strangely, he spoke for the second time that day, "Best of luck to you partner. Most of the people that I have driven up here have never come out of there again."

I should have been worried by this older fellow's words, but no such feeling crept upon me. "I'll survive, mein fruend." I giggle a little, ignoring the driver's rolling eyes and sigh as he got back behind the wheel of the Chevy and pulled away. Here I was now, facing my destiny and not even knowing what it was going to be. Death could be behind these looming glass doors or just a whole new life that no one, not even I, could have ever anticipated.

***author comments* Sorry for another chapter of what seems like nothingness. I swear that we shall meet some of the other mercs in the next chapter and I hope that it won't take me so long to write considering that my school year is pretty much over and done with. I've been pondering over how I want to do this for a long time and I shall try my hardest to make it more interesting. *spoiler* There may be a couple OCs but not too many, I've been wanting for this to be a sorta competition between the mercs in order for the company to decide who is the most worthy to stay on as a merc. So some have to be eliminated right? And 9 is such a random number... right? Stay tuned for more!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

*disclaimer* Before people go on and complain about this story, I want to say a few things. Yes, I have read the comics on Valve's website and I know about the story of Redmont and Blutarch Mann. Yes, I only have aspects of them in here and not the full story. This is what this is, a different story since I wasn't completely happy with Valve's edition, granted that the story does belong to them. Also, this is based more on what is seen in the "Meet the…" series than the actual game. Thank you and please enjoy.

**The building almost seemed as if it could have been abandoned, there were no cars located anywhere outside of it, besides the one that was now pulling away from the curbside after dropping me off, and there were absolutely no people walking around outside of it. With a grunt, I picked up the two duffel bags I had with me and lumbered towards the two wooden doors that were at the end of the shaded entryway. There was still nothing to suggest that anyone was there, but I still leaned back against the door only to be surprised that it actually gave way under my weight. **

**The inside showed the signs of constant care, white-washed walls that gleamed in the bright white light, equally white tile making the room blinding, and the large symbol of the facilities, without dents or scratches, right above a huge wooden reception desk. A single man in his late twenties sat behind the counter, typing frantically into a computer that looked much fancier than any person could buy from the local store. He was an unshaven fellow with a mop of brown hair on top of his head and a pencil sticking out from behind his left ear. His appearance definitely didn't go well with the environment he was placed in, yet he seemed to be comfortable just the same. **

**Upon hearing my footsteps approaching across the tile, he stood up straight so fast that there was a resounding thump as his knee hit the corner of the table. He flinched at the pain that doubtlessly traveled up his leg but he didn't look away from me or lose the smile that came to his face, though now it looked really strained as tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. I would have laughed if the spectacle hadn't been so pathetic. Needless to say I still came up to the desk and set my baggage down in front of it, looking back at the bearded man while adjusting my glasses. Finally he spoke though it was in a stuttering and broken manner, "S-so… you must be the o-one they were waiting on. C-c-come on then. Leave your baggage and p-please follow me to your r-room." **

**British… with a cockney accent no doubt. He may have spoken with a stammer but he wasted no time in turning on his heel and walking down a hallway to my right. I paused a moment in surprise before turning and following him. "Vait a moment, aren't you supposed to check my ID or escort me to someone who vill interview me for ze position?" **

**The man did nothing but let out a nervous little giggle. "N-no. This is a very secure location. Y-you wouldn't have gotten in i-if you hadn't been formally invited. Plus, how many scary looking German men could we possibly have g-gotten in here?" He turned another corner and stopped in front of an elevator, hitting the up button and smirking at what was his idea of a joke. Naturally I should have been offended, but I don't really care about such petty insults. Once on the elevator he turned and offered his hand to me, I reluctantly took it in mine and we shook. "My n-name is Finny and I am the guy who will keeping track of your schedule. I will show you where you need to be and w-when you need to be there."**

**I smirked and responded, "I am Josef… but undoubtedly you already knew zat." He gave me a full smile this time for apparently as he got used to a person, his nervousness and stammer lessoned considerably. The elevator jolted and began to rise up, one, two floors, before it stopped. The doors parted and we stepped out into a large hallway complete with the white tile and fancy chandeliers every few feet. I grimaced and followed Finny to the right and down to the end of the hall where there was a lone door carved from dark mahogany. This place was too clean and too fancy for my tastes and I feared what Finny was going to say before he even opened his mouth.**

**"****T-this is where you will be staying, Josef… or should I say Medic?" Finny grinned wider and pulled a nametag from his breast pocket before handing it to me. "There you a-are. Wear that whenever you decide to leave your room. That will be w-what you are formally known as n-now. Do not tell anyone your real name and d-do not ask others for theirs. Got it?"  
>With a glance at the tag that only had one word upon its surface, I grumbled, "Ja, I got it. But I have one question for you." Finny raised his eyebrow and clasped his hands behind his back in a gesture of 'I'm waiting'. I adjusted my glasses, "Vhere am I und vhat is zis program?" <strong>

**As I should have expected, Finny just smirked and opened my door for me. "T-those are things that will be answered for you in due time. However, I-I will let you know that you are the last one to finally arrive and that tomorrow morning, y-you will meet with your fellow teammates in the foyer. Signs will be posted to show you the way. I shall bring your bags in an hour until I formally c-check you in. Dinner will be brought to you promptly at six. T-there should be a button for you to press in your r-room to call me if you should need anything more." He opened the door and gazed at me expectantly as I gritted my teeth, shocked and annoyed. I stormed into my room, having none of my real questions answered, and crashed onto the bed while Finny shut the door. Great, I was going to have to work with people again, and we all know how well that worked out the last time.**

**In boredom, I turned on the TV and let it play some older reruns that I barely paid any attention to while I waited for my bags. Why was this place so secretive? It was odd that they still couldn't tell me anything even though I was in here already and couldn't exactly just run away if I wanted to. I glanced to the bedside table with my small, plastic nametag resting upon it with my new identity, Medic. If that was any indication, they wanted me for my skills as a doctor even though my license was no longer valid. Maybe they intended on granting me a new one even though that would be breaking many laws and this seemed like a government facility. **

**About an hour after Finny had closed the door, there came a swift knock upon it as he had promised. With a tired groan, I rose and loosened the tie around my neck, just now realizing I probably didn't need all of this fancy clothing on anymore. I undid the jacket just before opening the doorknob and looking down at my bags, though that wasn't all that was there. On the bags lay an entirely new suit of clothing and on top of that was a note scrawled neatly in a woman's writing. I picked it up and moved my glasses to the edge of my nose so I could read it.**

**To Medic:**

**We, here at Mann Co., are so sorry that we have brought you here under deception and secrets. We can assure you, however, that many of the questions you have will be answered tomorrow morning at breakfast in the foyer. See? I already answered one of your questions! Yes, we are known here as Mann Co., a subdivision of TF Industries, if you have ever heard of them. I would also like to inform you that you are part of a program that is going to be hand picking those who we deem…capable of handling our particular needs. Just a heads up of what you will be facing in the near future! **

**Have a nice day! ~Pauling**

**P.S: Your room has been remained unlocked but don't even think about heading out the front door. Oh, and be sure to wear the provided garments to tomorrow's meeting!**

**So I could not leave now? I figured that this would happen. With a small curse I pocketed the note and stooped to pick up the uniform. It was a full-length white overcoat with an equally white dress shirt for underneath and tan slacks. Black, mid-calf boots were also included along with a red tie and red surgical gloves. Wunderbar, now I was going to look like some odd field surgeon. With a roll of my eyes, I placed the strange outfit into the small closet and lugged my bags inside to dump on the bed.**

**Unknowingly, I had left the door partially cracked open. I hadn't exactly realized yet that there were other people living on this floor and that they may have more curiosity than me. A few minutes after I had settled back down to stare at the television set, I heard a loud exclamation from the bathroom in my room. I muted the TV and stood up with a raised eyebrow, finally taking off my constricting jacket and depositing it on the bed along with the rest of my belongings. Having still been new to this place and not realizing what it was that this company wanted me to do, I took no caution in swinging open the bathroom door to confront the intruder. **

**He was a scrawny little man, no; boy would have been a better description. He wore overlarge, ratty white sneakers with long socks that stopped barely below his knees along with a simple pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt. A tan colored baseball cap covered his short light brown hair and he was currently standing in the middle of the bathtub. He noticed me before I could say anything and he let out a high-pitched laugh that immediately made me frown and bare my teeth. Just by the sound of his voice I could tell that he was mischievous and annoying.**

** "****Man, you gotta better set up here than I do at the end o' the hallway. You got yourself a whole tub! I only get a shower that won't even spray full blast." He leaped out of the bath with one graceful motion and landed right in front of me. I let go of the doorknob and took a step back for I hadn't expected him to suddenly be so close. The boy stuck out his hand and tilted his head in a surprisingly friendly manner. "Yo, the new name's Scout since I can't tell ya my real name. Not sure why but comes with the job." **

**Grudgingly I gripped his hand in return and shook it once before dropping it quickly. "And I am Medic, pleased to meet you. Now get out of mein room… if you don't mind." I'd never really been a fan of people that I couldn't cut into, and apparently Scout got that from my atmosphere and tone since I could see his smile dim just a tad. **

**"****Yeah look man, I'm sorry. I busted into your room and all, but ya left your door wide open. I thought you'd be the welcoming type." He smirked, "I can tell you're foreign. Don't tell that to the whack job down the hall. He'd kill ya in a second from what I can hear through the walls. See ya!" With that he shot past me and was gone, somehow closing the door behind him. What an odd person in an odd place. So this was one of the other people that I would have to be working with? I stood there brooding in the bathroom door for a moment more considering if this would really be worth it, not that I had a choice. **

**I let out a long sigh and took off my tie completely followed by my shirt and my dress shoes. I watched the reruns for a few hours until I heard another knock at my door. Fearing that it might be the Scout person again, I looked through the convenient eyehole only to see Finny with a tray full of food. I opened the door and stood aside to let him in and he immediately went over to the bedside table and set down the tray, looking a tad bit shaky. Admittedly, I was curious but I knew that it was one thing that I needed to control if I wanted this job. Without a word I watched the British man leave again in silence, making doubly sure that the front door was indeed closed and locked.**

**After the disgusting meal of sugary soda and burnt hamburgers, I decided that it was time for me to shut off the TV and get some sleep to shake off the jet lag. One thing was for sure, tomorrow I was going to have to face the rest of this 'team' I was going to have to work with and I just knew that I wasn't going to like a moment of it. I just wanted the moment to come when I was finally going to get the tools I was promised. My curiosity couldn't be held back forever.**


End file.
